Ninja Professional Blender (Model NJ600)

An affordable, well-designed blender with a powerful motor.

The true test of any blender is how well it crushes ice. And with a 1000-watt motor and an innovative blade design, the Ninja Professional delivers, and then some. The blender is tall and slender, which means that the generously sized, 72-once pitcher might not fit under most cabinets. But I liked the design of the blender; it is formed of one piece –less chance for leaking—with the blade fitting onto the mount built into the base of the blender. The blade just rests lightly onto the mount and doesn't seem to lock in place, but in my testing it seemed to work just fine and never got dislodged. As for the lid, it lacks an opening to add ingredients like most blenders, but it does have a pouring spout. In order to operate the blender, you must place the jar on the base and swivel it into place until it clicks, and then push the lid down until it, too, is in place. Unlike some other blenders, which might require a few tries to mount the jar onto the base, this blender is easy to lock everything into place. The blade, meanwhile, is an unusual design; it consists of three pairs of blades staggered along a long stem. This design helps process all the food evenly, since it doesn't just puree what's on the bottom of the jar.

In terms of performance, the Ninja Professional really measures up to blenders that are four or five times its price. I was particularly impressed with how well it crushed ice; I threw a few handfuls of cubes in, and a press of the button yielded evenly crushed, snowy-fine ice in just a few moments. Pureeing cucumbers and yogurt together for a chilled soup was equally as effective; the mixture came out perfectly smooth in a short time.

The caveats: The Ninja Professional is extremely loud, probably a little moreso than some other blenders. And the blades are extremely sharp – As I was washing the blade component, I sliced my finger quite deeply. While the company claims that the blades can be washed in the dishwasher, I'd recommend against it, partly to avoid cutting yourself while you're unloading the dishwasher and partly because I think the abrasive action of a dishwasher would quickly dull their sharpness.

At around $100 at the time of this review, the Ninja Professional Blender is a great buy for people who can't afford pricier high-powered models like Vitamix or Blendtec.

Disclosure: Review samples were provided by the manufacturer. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.